Key Tips for Blocking Vainglory Abilities

Welcome back to Broken Myth, where you can learn about Vainglory and never know when you are going to get Rick Rolled! Today, we’re going to be talking about everybody’s favorite game changing abilities and how to overcome them. Many heroes in Vainglory come equipped with crowd control (CC) abilities, such as stuns and slows. If you want to rise to the top echelon of Vainglory, you will need to master the Reflex Block to counter these abilities.

We’re first going to take a look at each ability that can be Reflex Blocked. The abilities are ranked by the difficulty of blocking each ability. We will then expose the subtle pointers you can keep an eye out for to counter all of these abilities. One major point to increase your Reflex Block skills, or Crucible for that matter, is to be aware of the enemy team’s movement and positioning. You can often spot a Phinn setting up for that anchor throw or a Grumpjaw looking to swallow someone whole. This way, you’ll have an extra second to find that button before you need to mash it and save a teammate or yourself. With that out of the way, let’s dive right in and get your VST heading up.

Adagio: Verse of Judgement

Difficulty: Please never miss this
Adagio channels then deals heavy damage to all enemies in a wide, rune-marked ring around him. Enemies burning with Arcane Fire are also stunned. This AoE ability is the largest in the game, but also has the longest cast time of all CC abilities. This should be your Crucible priority if Adagio is around. Key: Adagio stops to channel, lifting himself in the air and summoning dark blue runes around him. Stun only applied if heroes have been set on fire before hand. Block: Prevents stun and teamfight losses.

Ardan: Gauntlet

Difficulty: Low
Ardan throws down the Gauntlet, projecting a perimeter around the target area and gaining full vengeance. Enemies who cross the perimeter are stunned. This ability can stun heroes if it lands on top of them when cast. Key: Ardan jumps into the air and a shimmering silhouette of the Gauntlet appears on the ground revealing where it will be placed. Trigger your Reflex Block before walking through the wall to get out safely. Block: Prevents stun.

Baptiste: Ordained

Difficulty: Medium
Baptiste ordains a target enemy, creating an ethereal prison around them. If the target leaves, they are stunned. This ability becomes more difficult to block for dive heroes as it can be applied during a gap close ability and trigger immediately. Key: A purple swirl appears on the ground around the target. Trigger the Reflex Block before exiting the circle. Block: Prevents stun.

Baptiste: Fearsome Shade

Difficulty: Medium
Baptiste summons waves of shade that terrorize enemies caught in their path. Enemies struck by the shade run from the source in fear, canceling any abilities.Key: Baptiste jumps and spins before releasing his army of ghouls. This ability is easier to block the further from Baptiste you are.Block: Prevents fear in the direction of ability cast.

Catherine: Blast Tremor

Difficulty: High
Catherine slams the ground, damaging and silencing enemies in a large cone in front of her. This ability is a game changer and needs to be a priority Crucible block. Key: Catherine raises her shield above her head before slamming it in the ground, but the silence applies before the shield hits the ground. The damage comes once the shield hits the ground. Block: Prevents AoE silence.

Catherine: Merciless Pursuit

Difficulty: Medium
Catherine gains a burst of move speed and her next basic attack is a powerful stun attack. Becomes more difficult to block the closer Catherine is to you. Key: Hear the shield make a sword “unsheath” noise and Catherine will charge towards her target. She can wait to apply the stun as it is applied on the next basic attack. Block: Prevents stun.

Celeste: Core Collapse

Difficulty: Medium
After a brief delay, the target location collapses and nearby enemies are stunned. Ability acts as an AoE stun, but can be avoided with good positioning and awareness. Key: Purple circle appears at the target location before the stun is applied. Block: Prevents stun.

Flicker: Binding Light

Difficulty: Low
Flicker commands his fairies to swarm a target location, dealing damage to enemies standing within it. When the effect expires, fairy light roots any enemy heroes still within the area. Akin to the Treant root, so unless you’re in EU, just don’t stand in it. Key: A small, purple circle appears at the target location of the root. This ability is usually easy to dodge unless Flicker has applied the slow from his Fairy Dust. Block: Prevents root and shame.

Glaive: Afterburn

Difficulty: High
Glaive rockets in the target direction, damaging all enemies along the way. His next basic attack is a directional knockback and stun. The rocket animation happens very quickly, leaving the target with little time to counter. Also, Glaive can wait for the Reflex Block to wear off before using the stun. Key: The rocket noise is the first indicator of trouble and usually the best time to Reflex Block as Glaive uses it to close the gap. The stun does not apply until he is in melee range and applies a basic attack. Block: Prevents knockback and stun.

Grace: Holy Nova

Difficulty: Medium
After a short delay, Grace knocks enemies into the air and disables them for a short time. Ability triggers an AoE effect around Grace. Grace is unable to move after casting this ability, so quickly exiting the area is a viable option. Key: Grace creates a Golden circle around herself that will knock up enemies caught in its effect. Block: Prevents knockup.

Grumpjaw: Grumpy

Difficulty: Medium
Grumpjaw charges to a target location and slows enemies in an area upon reaching his destination. Sharing a similar noise and beginning animation with Grumpjaw’s Stuffed ultimate, it can often be Reflex Blocked instead of the ultimate. Key: Grumpjaw lowers his head and paws the ground before charging forward. Wait until Grumpjaw is on top of you when he will swing his head applying the slow. Block: Prevents the slow from landing.

Grumpjaw: Stuffed

Difficulty: Near Impossible
Grumpjaw lunges forward, grabbing the first enemy hero in his path and devouring them whole. This ability has a very short animation and a similar beginning animation to Grumpjaw’s Grumpy ability, making it one of the more difficult abilities to Reflex Block. Key: Grumpjaw rears his head before diving forward. This sets it apart from Grumpy, where he lowers his head and paws the ground before charging forward. Block: Prevents being devoured whole and finding out first hand what horrors lie in Grumpjaw’s stomach.

Gwen: Aces High

Difficulty: Medium
Gwen pulls an ace from up her sleeve and flings it in the target direction. The ace stuns the first enemy hero in its path. This ability becomes easier to block the further you are from Gwen. Dodging perpendicular to the ability is also a good alternative solution. Key: Signature sound when it is cast. Gwen has a bit of a wind up animation as she reaches across her body to throw the Ace out. Block: Prevents stun.

Joule: Rocket Leap

Difficulty: Medium
Joule leaps to a target location. Enemies caught underneath Joule are stunned, while enemies near the impact are knocked away and slowed. This ability acts as an AoE stun/slow, and can be devastating if landed on multiple heroes at once. Key: Joule jumps into the air and the target location is indicated by a red circle. Block: Prevents stun or knockback/slow.

Kestrel: Active Camo

Difficulty: High
Kestrel leaves behind an invisible phosphor mist when activating abilities. If Kestrel deals damage to an enemy hero within the mist, the mist detonates, damaging and stunning all enemies within its area. It’s difficult to block something that you cannot see. Key: Vision is key to revealing these deadly traps. You can safely assume that if Kestrel disappears as you dive her, a stun is in the near future. Block: Prevents AoE stun.

Koskha: Yummy Catnip Frenzy

Difficulty: Medium
Koshka leaps at her target then launches into a flurry of slashes, stunning the target for the entire duration. Ability triggers immediately, but has a delay time before the stun is applied. Koshka will cancel the animation upon successful Reflex Block. Key: A cat face will appear above the head of the target. Koshka will do a happy dance before jumping to the target. Block: Prevents stun, but Koshka will still be on top of the hero.

Krul: From Hell’s Heart

Difficulty: High
Krul pulls Hellrazor from his chest and hurls it in the targeted direction. If the sword hits an enemy hero, it stuns and then slows the target. The longer the sword travels through the air the longer the stun duration. The sword will also boomerang back to Krul, so be aware of where the sword is returning. Key: Ability triggers instantly as Krul goes through the throwing animation. This ability is easier to block the farther you are from Krul. It is a great tool to stick to a kiting hero, so be aware that it may come out just when you think you are free of Death’s Grip. Block: Prevents stun and slow.

Lance: Gythian Wall

Difficulty: High
Lance sweeps opponents away with his polearm, stunning them if they collide with a wall or structure. Ability triggers immediately and is usually the follow up to a successful Impale. Key: Be aware of your surroundings. Lance excels in corridors where there are objects to stun targets upon. Block: Prevents stun and knockback.

Lance: Impale

Difficulty: Medium
Lance strikes through his opponents, rooting them in place. Although you can still attack, being rooted in place can lead to a variety of unsavory chain CC combinations. Key: Lance leaps in the air toward the target location. A green rectangle appears in the hitbox. This ability is narrow, so dodging perpendicular to the attack is a good alternative to using a Reflex Block. Block: Prevents root.

Lyra: Bright Bulwark

Difficulty: High
After a brief delay, Lyra releases a pulse of magical energy, damaging and applying a 20% flat slow to surrounding enemies. The affected area then becomes a walled zone of protection that deals the same damage and slow to enemies attempting to cross its borders. The snare prevents any movement enhancing abilities, such as gap closers or dashes. Key: Lyra spins in a quick circle, bringing her arms down and summoning the Bright Bulwark. Once applied, the snare cannot be removed, but triggering your Reflex Block before entering the affected area will allow you to move normally and pass through the wall unhindered. Block: Prevents snare if you have lightning reflexes or on calculated engages.

Ozo: Bangarang

Difficulty: Low
Ozo charges up before tumbling to a targeted enemy hero. If he reaches the target within 1 second, he deals damage, stuns and flips the target over his ring to behind him. Key: With its distinctive ring and long wind-up animation, Banagarang is one of the easier abilities to block. Make sure to Reflex Block before Ozo reaches melee range. Block: Prevents the stun and minor knockback.

Phinn: Forced Accord

Difficulty: Medium
Phinn throws his anchor in a direction. After the anchor reaches its destination he yanks it back, damaging all enemies in its path and pulling them back to him. This ability is a game changer and must be a priority Crucible block. Key: Phinn launching his anchor across the Fold is a good indication to hit that Crucible button. You do have a bit of a wind up and, for the more detailed-oriented players, Phinn’s bird will fly to the target location before the anchor lands. Block: Prevents the team pull and utter annihilation awaiting at the end of the anchor ride.

Phinn: Quibble

Difficulty: Low
Phinn slams his anchor down on a neighboring location, applying a slow, or stun when overdriven. This AoE stun can be detrimental, but is avoidable with good positioning. In other words, don’t stand on top of your teammates right next to a Phinn. Key: Phinn raises his anchor to slam it down. The affected area has a green circle appear before the slow/stun applies. Block: Prevents AoE slow/stun.

Reim: Chill Winds

Difficulty: High
Reim deals a burst of crystal damage to all surrounding enemies. This ability roots enemies who are chilled, temporarily preventing them from moving.Key: Reim waves his arms out, instantly applying a root to any heroes he has hit with a basic attack or ability. If you are chilled, expect Chill Winds in the immediate future. Block: Prevents root and a terrible cold.

Reim: Valkyrie

Difficulty: Low
Reim summons an ancient valkyrie, devastating enemies at the target location. All enemies are slowed, while enemies closer to the center are stunned. Ability has a wide range, so this ability can be used as an engagement or chase tool. Key: A big light blue circle appears at the target location when cast, but has a delay before applying its effects. Use your Reflex Block if unable to escape the AoE in time. Block: Prevents stun/slow.

Ringo: Achilles Shot

Difficulty: High
Ringo fires a trick shot at his target’s heel (or whatever lower extremity exists), slowing the target. Key: Ringo drops into a crouch before firing this instant ability. Although not high on the priority block list, blocking Achilles Shot can be a life saver when fleeing from Ringo, especially since this ability has a longer range than Ringo’s basic attack. Block: Prevents slow.

Samuel: Oblivion

Difficulty: Low
After a short delay, Samuel summons a phantasm at the target location, which puts nearby enemies to sleep. Acts as a big AoE CC that should be Crucibled if your team is caught in the ability. The trigger time is rather long, so you can also leave the area. Key: A big dark purple circle appears on the ground at the target location before the sleep is applied. Block: Prevents sleep and bad nightmares about undead goats.

Skye: Death From Above

Difficulty: Low
Skye fires a salvo of missiles at a chosen location near her locked target. After a brief delay, the missiles rain down on that location, stunning enemies. Enemies still in the area afterward are slowed and take crystal damage. The ability can be cast in an AoE cluster or create a line of missiles. Key: Light yellow circles appear on the target location before the ability activates and applies its effects. Block: Prevents stun, slow, and headaches from having missiles land on your head.

Vox: Wait for It

Difficulty: Medium
Vox fires an ultrasonic wave that applies Resonance to enemies in its path and refreshes all Resonance. Shortly after, a wide shockwave explodes along the same path, silencing enemies. Very useful ability in corridors or when heroes are all lined up, so be aware of your surroundings and team positioning. Key: Vox claps his hands together to cast the first Resonance wave. The second wave follows after a very short delay and silences, so this is the one you need to block. Block: Prevents silence.

Extra Credit

Ringo: Hellfire Brew

Difficulty: Low
Ringo takes a long swig from his gourd and breathes out a scorching fireball at his target. The explosion pierces all shield, deals splash damage on impact, and sets the target on fire, burning it and nearby enemies for 7 seconds. This ability travels slowly, but cannot be outrun. It is usually a great engage tool or an ability to finish off fleeing heroes. Key: A ring of fire will appear at the target’s feet as the giant ball of fire chases them across the Fold. If you can, trigger your Reflex Block and step back into the Hellfire Brew as this will ensure a successful block rather than trying to time when it will catch you. Block: Prevents that burning sensation.

Skaarf: Spitfire

Difficulty: Low
Skaarf spits a fireball that burns and damages anything in its path, and collides with the first hero, structure, or boss monster it hits. Fireball travels in a straight line for a considerable distance, but can be easily dodged by moving perpendicular to its path. Key: Skaarf takes a short breath and spits out the fireball in the direction he is facing. Blocking this will prevent the burn and could save your life if you are low on health. Block: Prevents burning and baby dragon cackles.

Atlas Pauldron

Difficulty: Hard
Reduces attack speed of nearby enemies by 50% for 4 seconds in a 4-meter range. For heroes that rely on attack speed—I’m looking at you, Krul—being able to Reflex Block the Atlas Pauldron can take your game to the next level. This is a very high level activatable to block. Key: Once triggered, faint golden sparks will appear around the hero that activated it, and charge up before releasing a golden circle that applies the effect. Knowing who has an Atlas Pauldron, and that it is usually applied at the beginning of the fight, will help you block this effect. Block: Prevents attack speed reduction.

Nullwave Gauntlet

Difficulty: Hard
Fire a blast at a targeted enemy hero, item silencing for 4 seconds and dealing 50-100 + 15% max health in crystal damage. This activatable used to be near impossible to block when it was first released. Now, it is a bit more lenient and could be the reason why you can keep your team alive. Key: Once activated, a small white orb will travel to the target hero, making a shock-like animation on impact, and after a brief delay item silence the target. You can Reflex Block both the impact or the effect after you have been hit by the Nullwave. Block: Prevents item silence.

We hope you have enjoyed and learned something from this Broken Myth guide to blocking Vainglory abilities. Please let us know if there is something else you would like covered. In the meantime, get out on the Fold and practice those blocking skills. And remember, you can have three blocks at once if you buy a Reflex Block, Aegis and Crucible!

If you want to see all of Vainglory’s blockable abilities at once, check out Broken Myth’s Giphy page. Special thanks to Ripkord for being a target dummy and helping create all the GIFs.

DrakenMythik is a long time player of Vainglory. A fan of all things Vainglory, especially the vibrant eSports scene. Recently, he and his long time partner in crime, Ripkord, started the GingerAndABeard stream on Twitch. If he isn't in-game or doing something for the stream, he is prolly getting swole or watching anime.